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Research from the University of Birmingham has shown that 93% of dinner meal deals exceed the UK Government’s suggested calorie limit for dinner of 600 calories per person.

The UK Government launched its ‘One You’ campaign back in 2016, to try and help tackle the obesity epidemic and make the public more aware of their health and diet. One of the key messages in this campaign was the 400-600-600 guidance. Recommending that adults consume 400 calories for breakfast, and 600 each for lunch and dinner, with two 200-calorie snacks.

A study of dinner meal deals across three national supermarket and grocery store chains, composed of 85 combinable items, has found that 93% of dinner meal deals exceed the government’s recommended dinner calorie limit of 600 kcal for adults. The study has been published in a book chapter featured in Responsible Marketing for Well-being and Society.

Dr Sheena Leek, senior lecturer in marketing at the University of Birmingham who led the study said: “We are a very time-poor nation, and for those of us working long hours reaching for a dine-in or dinner meal deal can be an easy and cheap way to get a filling and hopefully tasty dinner or provide an economical alternative to a date night.

“But what is healthy for our wallets is not necessarily healthy for our bodies, and our study has found that these dinner meal deal combinations, more often than not, exceed the UK government guidance of dinner calorie content.”

The research shows that the number of dinner meal deals exceeding the 600 kcal limit varied wildly from shop to shop. At one store only 60.3% of dinner meal deal combinations exceeded the limit compared to nearly all (99.7%) at another.

The most calorific dinner deal reached 1526 kcal, which is 254% of the One You recommendation. The lowest meal deal had a calorie count of just 187 kcal, 31% of the suggested amount.

The average ‘main’ made up 51.2% of the guidance amount but ranged from 39.6%-78.3% across different shops. The calorie content of side dishes was all about the same (32.3%-33.2%) Desserts were also similar at 50.4%-54.2% and then drinks ranged from 13.9%-14.3%.

Dr Leek concluded: “The biggest difference in calorie content was caused by the inclusion of desserts and drinks. The dinner deals that had the smallest number of calories only included a main and side dish. But even then, our study shows that if you are depending on these deals for your dinner, the vast majority of them make it extremely difficult to stick to the 600 kcal suggestion.”

Cryptosporidium has been discovered in pre-washed vegetables from major supermarkets in Kent.

Cryptosporidium was found in 17% of samples of pre-washed vegetables analysed by researchers in the School of Biosciences at the University of Kent.

While pre-washed and ready-to-eat vegetables undergo more thorough washing with water containing chlorine disinfectants compared to unpackaged vegetables, Cryptosporidium particles (oocysts) are actually resistant to disinfection with chlorine and can only be reliably removed by boiling water or filtration. So, they are expected to be free from parasites and ready to eat straight from the packaging, but some oocysts remain and are likely to cause illness.

Dr Anastasios Tsaousis, Reader in Molecular and Evolutionary Parasitology and the research lead, said: ‘Whilst our 2023 study cannot distinguish between live and inert Cryptosporidium, it is nevertheless important in that the presence of Cryptosporidium in pre-washed vegetables could mean revisiting the sanitation methods employed by suppliers along the chain of production such as improved hygiene measures during harvesting, processing, packaging, transportation and storage.

‘There is also a need for increased awareness among consumers on the adequate storage of vegetables and handwashing before eating.’

The research paper titled ‘Presence of Cryptosporidium parvum in pre‑washed vegetables from different supermarkets in South East England: A pilot study’ is published by Parasitology Research.

Today (20th June) marks Clean Air Day, the UK’s largest campaign on air pollution.

Air pollution can harm every organ in your body, causing heart and lung disease, dementia, and strokes. 
You may be exposed to higher levels of air pollution because of where you live – for example, if you live in a town or city, or near a busy road – and certain people are more vulnerable to its affects (including children, the elderly, and people with health conditions).

 Campaigners want to use this year’s Clean Air Day to support the public to:

• Learn: visit the Clean Air Hub to learn more about how air pollution harms our health and the planet, and find out what you can do to protect yourself and your community
• Act: walk, wheel or use public transport to reduce your exposure and contribution to air pollution. If you drive, try leaving the car behind on Clean Air Day and one day every week.
• Ask: use your voice to call on our next government to make walking, wheeling and cycling safer and ensure that everyone can access public transport that is reliable, affordable, and efficient. Sign the Glocal Action Plan petition and share it with your friends, family, and community to show our next government that people want action on air pollution

Learn more by visiting the Clean Air Hub (www.cleanairhub.org.uk) or let the team know what you are up to by emailing cleanerair@globalactionplan.org.uk

The Sýlingarfell volcano in southwest Iceland began erupting last December but the most recent eruption, on May 29th, pushed sulphur dioxide in Scotland to levels not seen since the 1970s.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPA) national volcanic emissions network first detected an increase in SO2 on the Isle of Lewis on the evening of 30 May. During the early hours, the plume moved southward, peaking in Scotland’s Central Belt by 6 am on 31 May. St Leonard’s in Edinburgh reported a maximum concentration of 1,161 µg m³.

In order to verify the source of the SO2, the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) used a combination of observations and modelling data, making it highly likely that the increased levels could be attributed to the Icelandic volcano

UKCEH used their EMEP4UK atmospheric chemistry transport computer model to confirm the sequence of events that led to the high-concentration episode. They explained that had the eruption happened differently, the SO2 emitted would have missed the UK entirely.

What distinguished this from previous events is that significantly higher concentrations of SO2 were recorded than previously reported in the UK, surpassing those of previous Icelandic eruptions in recent years. Alongside high SO2, the volcanic plume comprised a mixture of other gases, our researchers are now investigating the composition of the plume in more detail.

A blog on the UKCEH website refers to SO2 as ‘an air pollutant from the past’, indeed its prominent position in the air pollution rollcall of the past gave Edinburgh its ‘Auld Reekie’ nickname.

Famously, it was also a key cause of the acid rain of the 1980. A number of significant, global remedial measures were taken which have led to UK SO2 emissions falling by 98% since 1970.

The fall has been so dramatic that the lack of atmospheric sulphur deposition has led farmers to add sulphur to their fertiliser to achieve optimum nutrient balance.

The UKCEH blog goes on to explain that the whole episode is no cause for concern: ‘While this event, exceeded air quality objectives for 10 hours in Edinburgh, it did not breach workplace exposure limits. Nor did it pose a significant health risk. The current air quality objective for SO2 is 350 µg m³ (hourly average), and a maximum concentration of 1,161 µg m³ was reported from the AURN network at Leonard St.

‘Concentrations stayed well below the workplace exposure limit for an 8-hour shift average of 1,300 µg m³ and for 15-minute exposure of 2,700 µg m³. Our modelling effort helped predict that this plume would pass rapidly over the UK. Through chemical reactions, sulphur dioxide can contribute to the formation of small airborne particles (PM2.5) that are harmful to human health. Measurement and model results indicate that PM2.5 concentrations stayed well below levels of concern during this event.’

For further information please see the related blog.

Three more Scottish cities have launched their city centre Low Emission Zones (LEZ) in the last month. The new LEZs came into force in Dundee on 30 May, with Aberdeen and Edinburgh introducing them on 1 June, joining Glasgow which came into force last year on 1 June 2023.

The significant public health intervention restricts the access of the most polluting vehicles in order to protect health, improve air quality and support a shift towards more sustainable transport.

LEZs were introduced in all four of Scotland’s largest cities on 31 May 2022. In Glasgow, the LEZ has applied to buses since 2018. For other vehicle types, enforcement began on 1 June 2023. In Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh, a two-year grace period was in place, meaning no penalty charges were issued during this time.

The geographic extent, scope, timescales for implementation of Scotland’s LEZs were determined by each local authority.

The Scottish Government is also providing £5m across Scotland to reopen the LEZ Support Fund for 2024-25 where residents and businesses can apply for support to ease the transition through retrofitting, disposal and other grants. 

Read more about Scottish Low Emission Zones here – https://lowemissionzones.scot

The City of Edinburgh Council’s Environmental Health team has issued eight Prohibition Notices to businesses and practitioners over three locations planning to perform the Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) procedure.

The Notices, issued last month, prohibit those involved from undertaking any BBL procedures within any premises or locations within the city of Edinburgh local authority area, until evidence can be provided that these procedures will be carried out by competent people and in hygienic environments.

There have been several serious incidents across the UK where clients have suffered from sepsis and tissue necrosis after receiving BBLs and it is for this reason that the Council has taken enforcement action.

Cllr Neil Ross, Convener of the City of Edinburgh Council’s Regulatory Committee, said:

“Our Environmental Health Officers continue to carry out inspections of aesthetic businesses in the city where BBLs may be carried out. If unsatisfactory standards are found, officers will not hesitate to take enforcement action to protect the public.

We are urging the public to be very careful when considering undergoing this type of cosmetic procedure as the risks to their health can be serious.  We are also warning local aesthetic practitioners who are considering undergoing training in how to administer BBLs to think very carefully before doing so. The training may not achieve the level of competence required to do such high-risk procedures.”

If anyone is concerned about a recent BBL procedure they have received, the Council is urging them to get in touch. Additionally, if anyone has had a recent BBL procedure carried out in premises specifically in the Gorgie/Dalry area of the city, the Council would like them to contact the Environmental Health team.  A Prohibition Notice has been issued to stop procedures at this location in this area of the city, but the Council understands that some people may already have undergone a procedure. 

Members of the public can contact Environmental Health by phone on 0131 200 2000 or by email environmentalhealth@edinburgh.gov.uk. If anyone is experiencing ill health linked to these procedures they should seek medical attention immediately.

The Scottish Government has published a further their responses to the consultation on ‘Implementing the prohibition of the sale and supply of single-use vapes in Scotland: your views’ and the draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Vapes) (Scotland) Regulations 2024.

Providing an extra degree of clarity on the ban, the Scottish Government has set out its definition of a disposable vape as well as more information regarding how the rules will be enforced.

The Scottish Government acknowledged that enforcement was the biggest concern raised by those who submitted response and state that they continue to collaborate closely with Trading Standards and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) to understand the regulatory burdens associated with enforcement and any associated funding, as well as assessing the potential savings and benefits.

The response sets out additional powers to allow Trading Standards to identify sellers, enter premises and seize illegitimate products.

The response has defined the vaping products set to be banned as:
• Not refillable by an individual user in the normal course of their use.
• Not rechargeable
• Not refillable and not rechargeable
• Not able to be fitted with a replacement heating coil which is separately available and replaceable by an individual user in the normal course of their use.

Further to this, those found guilty of committing the offence could be subject to a level five fine – the equivalent to an amount of money between £5,000 and £10,000.

This is in contrast to that in England where a range of notices will be made to the businesses and an initial £200 fine, which could be reduced to £100 if paid within 28 days.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) is working with NHS Boards in Scotland, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and other public health agencies across the UK to investigate an increase in the number of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) cases across the UK in recent weeks.

There have been 113 confirmed cases in the Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O145 outbreak since May 25. Whole genome sequencing of samples in the current investigation indicates that most cases are part of a single outbreak.

Based on the wide geographic spread of cases, it is most likely that this outbreak is linked to a nationally distributed food item or multiple food items. The public health agencies are working with the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland to investigate further.

As of 4 June, there have been 113 confirmed cases associated with this outbreak of STEC O145 in the UK, all reported since 25 May 2024:

• 81 in England
• 18 in Wales
• 13 in Scotland
• 1 in Northern Ireland (for this case, evidence suggests that they acquired their infection while visiting England)

Typically, the UK sees around 1,500 cases of STEC over a full year. Numbers of confirmed cases associated with this outbreak are expected to rise as further samples undergo whole genome sequencing.

Cases range in age from 2 to 79 years old, with the majority being young adults. Of the 81 cases in England, 61 have provided information to UKHSA on food, travel, and potential exposures, and 37 people have been hospitalised.

While the source of this outbreak is currently unknown, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of gastrointestinal infections, as well as limiting the spread to others:

• regularly wash your hands with warm water and soap — alcohol gels do not kill all bugs that cause diarrhoeal illness
• follow food hygiene measures such as washing fruit and vegetables and cooking food properly
• if you have diarrhoea and vomiting, you should not prepare food for others and avoid visiting people in hospitals or care homes to avoid passing on the infection
• you should not return to work, school or nursery until 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped

Jim McMenamin, Head of Health Protection (infection Services), Public Health Scotland, said:

To help stop infections like E. coli from spreading, we advise regular hand washing using soap and water, particularly after using the toilet and before preparing food. People should also use disinfectants to clean surfaces that may be contaminated. Anyone experiencing severe and sometimes bloody diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting and fever should call their GP or 111 to seek advice. Anyone with diarrhoea or vomiting should avoid attending places such as schools, workplaces or social gatherings until at least 48 hours after their symptoms have ceased.

The Scottish Government has published the Education (Scotland) Bill.  This can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/bills-and-laws/bills/education-scotland-bill/introduced along with some explanatory notes. 

We were delighted to see so many REHIS Diploma in Environmental Health and Higher Certificate recipients together with community training Highfield award winners being recognised at the Institute’s Awards Ceremony on 10 May.  Congratulations to all the achievers and winners.  Our thanks also go to Highfield for their generous sponsorship and to Dan McDade, of Highfield, for making the journey north to present the awards.  A full report will be featured in the summer edition of the Journal.

Professional Update Courses

The popular Pollution Update course was held on 22 May, our thanks go to the speakers and delegates whose positive engagement made this event a success.  Our next professional update course is the Food Update which is being held on the morning of 5 June to which all Members and Community Training Presenters are welcome to book to attend.  Details of the programme and a link to the booking form can be found here Food Update – REHIS

Centre Events

The Northern and Southern Centres are actively working on their programme of events for the year, but they are looking for some suggestions of topics.  Please can you contact the Institute if you have any suggestions contact@

The next centre event planned is on 12 June when the Northern Centre is holding an online lunchtime presentation on counterfeit alcohol.  To book a place https:/events/northern-centre-event/

Environmental Health Scotland-The Journal of the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland – Spring 2024

The Spring edition of Environmental Health Scotland is now available in the members section of the website. 

Researchers have revealed that almost 100 people fell sick in a Salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupe melon toward the end of 2023.

In September 2023, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) identified cases of Salmonella Saintpaul in England, Scotland, and Wales. Other ill people were noted in Portugal following an alert by the United Kingdom.

Overall, 98 cases were identified, 93 in the UK and five in Portugal, and almost half were under the age of 10, according to the Epidemiology and Infection journal study.

Information on the UK incident was shared via the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control’s (ECDC) EpiPulse system in late October 2023. This revealed cases in other countries.

Most patients lived in England, but Scotland had ten and Wales five, with sample receipt dates from Sept. 28 to Nov. 30, 2023.

Cases had a median age of 20, ranging from 10 months to 89 years old; 28 percent were under 5, and 43 percent were under 10. Almost two-thirds were female. Five sick people were identified in Portugal, with sample dates from Oct. 4 to 24, 2023. Patients ranged in age from 2 to 8 years old, and 80 percent were female. 

It was not possible to obtain samples of cantaloupe for microbiological testing. Due to factors including the rapid end of the outbreak and the short shelf life of melons, public health control measures such as product recalls were not taken. Food traceback investigations on the source of the produce are ongoing.

In the UK, supply chains for fresh fruit show seasonal variation, which may account for the sharp rise and tail of the outbreak, said scientists.

Broader epidemiological investigations provided additional evidence for a link to cantaloupe. All five cases confirmed melon consumption in initial hypothesis-generating interviews, and three reported having cantaloupe.

Of the three educational settings attended by some sick people, they all served melon in the week preceding symptom onset. Two confirmed they had served cantaloupe.

Ten cases also provided details from a supermarket’s loyalty card for the same retailer. Three reported cantaloupe consumption in targeted questionnaires. Purchasing information for seven cases revealed they had purchased cantaloupe before symptom onset.

“Epidemiological analysis provides evidence for a link with cantaloupe. In light of this and other recent large outbreaks of Salmonella linked to melon consumption, cantaloupe, and other melon varieties should be considered as potential sources of infection during future Salmonella outbreaks,” said researchers.

Torbay Council, South West Water, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), NHS Devon and the Environment Agency are investigating the outbreak of Cryptosporidium linked to contaminated water.

Addressing the House of Commons on 20 May, Secretary of State for the Environment, Steve Barclay confirmed there are currently 46 cases of waterborne illness Cryptosporidium, with this number expected to grow and two people have been hospitalised.

South West Water initially said that water quality data at the treatment works indicated there were no issues with treated water. However, traces of cryptosporidium were later found in the Hillhead section of their network. A damaged valve on private land in the Hillhead supply area has been identified as the possible cause of contamination, which has since been repaired. 

South West Water has said a damaged valve on its network was the most probable cause of the contamination.

Some 16,000 properties were originally told to boil their water before drinking last week, after dozens of reports of people becoming ill. The majority of households have now had their boil notice lifted.